


tearing through the pages and the ink

by seaqueen



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: 2012-2013 NHL Lockout, 2015-2016 NHL Season, Anal Sex, Briefly hinted at past Alexander Ovechkin/Evgeni Malkin in the background, Crack Treated Seriously, Developing Relationship, F/M, First Time, Friends to Lovers, Intercrural Sex, Listen it's mostly porn, M/M, Multi, Not Beta Read, Oral Sex, Threesome - F/M/M, Timeline What Timeline, With some hand wavey plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-20
Updated: 2018-05-20
Packaged: 2019-05-09 07:11:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14711477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seaqueen/pseuds/seaqueen
Summary: Over the seat back both Burky and Tom are making accusatory faces. “No one wants the sordid details of your sexual prowess Ovi!” Tom says plaintively. “Nicky isn’t even in this story!” Alex smirks.To his right, Nicky isn’t even bothering to hide his laughter anymore. He’s dissolved into great gasping shakes of it, enough that it diverts everyone’s captivated attention to him in fascination at seeing Nicklas Backstrom so uninhibitedly losing it. It takes another minute before he gets himself under control, still snorting a little in amusement.“Oh I’m in it all right.” Nicky drawls.(or, the one where nicky and ovi get together in the middle of a threesome)





	tearing through the pages and the ink

**Author's Note:**

> this is 100% crack and should not in any way be taken seriously and possibly the most self-indulgent thing i've ever written.

Galina cries out, burying her hands deeper into his hair as he hoists her thighs over his shoulders; spearing her with his tongue. Her voice cracks on the little happy, hungry noises she makes; and they grow more and more eager until she's knitting one hand into his hair to pull him in harder against her, bucking into the filthy lap of his tongue. Her other hand drops to his throat, tracing his adam's apple as it moves, and the blood rushes hot to flood Alex’s cheeks when he realizes that she's feeling him swallow. And then she’s coming, hips hitching against his mouth until he feels a little like he’s drowning in the musky taste of her between quaking thighs.

The syllables that pour out of her mouth are broken and directionless, quietly punctuated _ah ah ah_ ’s instead of words until her voice makes the slide rail crescendo and she’s collapsing bonelessly back against the bed, eyes closed.

Alex pulls back, licking his lips and smugly self-satisfied as Galina looks like she can barely move; making an abortive weak half flip of her hand to gesture for him to climb up. He’s hard and aching himself; cock slapping against his abdomen as he complies and moves up the bed to cover her with his bigger body. It’s easy to tip his head in then and kiss her - she groans at the taste of herself on his lips, eager and willing still while overcome in post-orgasm lassitude - and she obliging shifts her thighs to let him between them as her nails dig into the muscle of his shoulders.

She’s soft and smooth, and the muscle of her thighs flex tight where she clenches around him. It only takes a few strokes, slicked by the mess he’d made of her already, before he’s coming. Alex collapses when it feels like every muscle in his body gives out on him at once, barely managing to roll sideways before he dropped all of his weight straight down on Galina. She doesn’t seem any more inclined than he does to move; tucking herself against his side with a happy sound and he barely manages to pull the sheets up over them before he falls asleep.

_X_

_Kuzya is making faces like he’s trying to scrub visual imagery from his mind, which Alex finds a bit unfair. They’d asked after all - Alex is only obliging for the story as Nicky laughs at them from where he’s reclining against the window. Over the seat back both Burky and Tom are making accusatory faces. “No one wants the sordid details of your sexual prowess Ovi!” Tom says plaintively. “Nicky isn’t even in this story!” Alex smirks._

_To his right, Nicky isn’t even bothering to hide his laughter anymore. He’s dissolved into great gasping shakes of it, enough that it diverts everyone’s captivated attention to him in fascination at seeing Nicklas Backstrom so uninhibitedly losing it. It takes another minute before he gets himself under control, still snorting a little in amusement._

_“Oh I’m in it all right.” Nicky drawls._

_Burky says something in Swedish that Alex doesn’t catch, and in the row across the aisle Marcus covers his face. “What’d he say?” Kuzya demands._

_“Listen, you want story or not?” Alex demands, raising his eyebrows threateningly. He’s a bit proud of the story truthfully. And the fact that this is the first time any of them are hearing it, four years after it happened, is a bit of a miracle in and of itself because Alex would gladly have told it ages ago if Nicky had let him. But Nicky’s in a smugly good mood after their win over the Penguins in their own building - Alex thinks Nicky hates the flightless birds more than anyone else he knows himself included, but that’s another story entirely - and willing to go along with the Valentine’s Day fervor that’s swept the boys up as they eagerly head home to their sweethearts._

_He can’t help himself. Alex swoops in to kiss Nicky briefly, even though the center makes a grumbling noise of disagreement at the display of public affection and bats Alex away as disagreeable as a cat._

_X_

When Alex wakes up, Galina is still snoozing but she’s moved from where she’d been burrowed against his collarbone to a loose limbed sprawl that takes up most of the available space in the bed and atop Alex himself. That kind of confidence, even in sleep, is incredibly attractive Alex thinks. She doesn’t seem inclined to wake up though even as he disentangles himself and starts to stand, so he disregards his hazy plans to wake her up, shifting the intention of another round until after breakfast if she doesn’t have anywhere to be.

He’s got a full day off after all, with no plans other than watching some game tape at some point hopefully with Nicky to crabbily point out every tiny flaw in the play. Alex spares a fond smile for his center.

He’d lost track of Nicky somewhere along the way in the club with their teammates, but the Swede is perfectly capable of taking care of himself and it isn’t as if it’s the first time Alex has left with someone for the night now that Nicky’s more or less conversationally fluent in Russian and comfortable with the team, and as a result doesn’t need Alex to babysit him anymore. Alex thinks he resents when Alex _does_ hover, because Nicky’s always been a self-contained sort and independent as they come.

Alex’s also always been a little bit in love with him, but at this point it’s just another facet of who he is and he rarely thinks directly about it. Nicky’s been a part of him ever since he came to Washington, another valve and chamber of his heart. It’s not all that surprising that he fell in love with him truthfully. He’s wickedly smart and devastatingly funny - and more than anyone Alex has ever known Nicky knows who he is and is comfortable in it. As prickly and contrary as a cat, but as affectionate and loving as one too once you’ve earned it. But that love is just another one of those things that make up his relationship with Nicky. He doesn’t let it affect his daily life if he can help it.

It takes a second to scrounge up a pair of shorts, and then Alex heads into the kitchen in search of something to eat following the ever present rumble of his stomach.

The main living space is quiet and peaceful in the late morning; sunlight streaming in through the open curtains of the room and stretching across the floor as he pads into the kitchen. The broad open floor plan suits him - and he can see everything across the island that divides the kitchen from the living room and the rest of the living space. The broad open space had been what had drawn him to the apartment in the first place. The Russian flips on the burner on the stove to put the kettle on and reaches for his favorite tea. Spotting the pair of sneakers placed neatly inside the door next to his own haphazard pile of shoes, Alex leans over to set the coffee maker too.

By the time Alex has a pan of bacon nearly finished frying on the stove, the twin siren smells of breakfast and coffee has drawn a sleepy Swede out of his bedroom. “Morning.” He chirps, and Nicky just grunts in his direction as he drops heavily onto a chair at the island. Alex laughs and pours him a cup of coffee and doctors it for him. Nicky drinks half of it in one go and then rests his forehead on the countertop with a theatrical snore. Still snickering to himself, Alex finishes making breakfast.

_X_

_“Wait Nicky was there all night and had to listen to you and that girl?” Burky interrupts. “That’s mean!”_

_Beside him, there is a dawning look of horror on Tom’s face._

_Nicky’s now entirely buried against Alex’s side, shoulders quaking in silent helpless laughter._

_X_

Alex is on his third helping of bacon when Galina comes out of the bedroom, and Nicky’s finally lifted his face off the counter after his second cup of coffee to inhale his eggs. She’s back in her dress from the night before and pads barefoot into the kitchen following the scent of food with the same brazen self-confidence that had drawn Alex in at the club, moving into his space. Alex pours her a cup of tea and drapes a heavy arm around her shoulders.

“ _G_ _ood morning beautiful._ ” He murmurs in Russian. She hums contentedly and wraps both hands around her cup of tea - but it’s not Alex she’s watching curiously.

“Nicklas, is it?” She says in heavily accented English, and Nicky blinks sleepily as he looks up at her. “I see you play in game against Jokerit, beautiful hands.” Alex doesn’t bother to bury a smile at that, gaze fond and affectionate over the top of Galina’s head where he watches his center. “I am Galina.” Nicky looks a bit like he’s been hit by a truck in the form of a beautiful woman, which is about how Alex felt the night before and had been all too glad of it.

She steps out from under his arm and towards Nicky, flicking one long brown curl over her shoulder and sliding into a seat at the counter. Her attention shifts back to Alex - who’s leaning on the counter now with hands loosely clasped around the mug of tea in front of him - and there’s a devious, playful light to her eyes. Alex has no idea what it is she’s intending but truthfully he doesn’t really care. He’s game for it. “So how you like Moscow so far Nicklas?” Galina asks, crossing one slim leg over the other.

Nicky, who Alex now recognizes is only hiding behind a sleepy facade, shrugs one heavy shoulder. “Everyone here is very friendly.” He answers and Alex buries his grin behind the rim of his mug. “Getting to know the fans is been great, you know, and to see what kind of place made _this_ one.” Nicky tilts his head towards Alex, green eyes glinting in mischief.  

“When you gonna take me to Sweden Backy, c’mon.” Alex complains good naturedly. “Return favor. Show me factory that made you.”

Nicky finishes his coffee and puts the mug down on the counter. “Russian machine never break, but Swedish machine never stop.” He says serenely and this time Alex can’t and doesn’t stop his laughter. Galina is watching both of them like they’re her new favorite television program, smile curving at generous lips as they continue to bicker fondly. Alex is continuing to snipe at Nicky as he refills and doctors his coffee when she rises back to her feet - her fingertips trailing along Nicky’s arm as she does and derailing him mid sentence - and comes back around the counter.

Galina hooks her hand over Alex’s collarbone to drag him down and kiss him, wet and filthy. Making a pleased noise Alex bends easily and slides a hand to cover her hip. She licks her lips and gives Alex a devilish smile, and then half turns to look over her shoulder.

“Do you want to join us?” Galina asks silkily, voice sly as she glances at Nicky under her lashes.  

_X_

_They all look like deer caught in headlights, and one by one gazes are swinging to look at Nicky. Who, of course, looks as smug as a cat who’d gotten the cream. If he had whiskers, they’d be twitching in self-satisfaction. “You did ask for the story.” The Swede says serenely. “I did warn you.”_

_Alex honestly doesn’t know who looks more amused right now, Nicky himself or TJ. Marcus has a long suffering expression on his face, which makes Alex think he’s actually heard this story before._

_Kuzya looks like nothing they say right now can surprise him, but he’d also lived with Alex for a year and had threatened to put bells on them both after he’d walked in on them one too many times. Burky had been suitably warned before he ever moved in with Nicky._

_“Please stop.” Tom whispers, eyes wide, and Alex barrels on gleefully._

_X_

The man in question pauses with a piece of bacon halfway to his mouth, and then very calmly puts it back down on the plate. He wipes his fingers on his shorts, and then looks at them again.

Both Alex and Galina are still watching him. Alex supposes he isn’t doing much to hide the hopeful expression on his face - because it’s him Nicky’s looking at, not the beautiful woman hanging off of him inviting Nicky to her bed. For a moment, Nicky says nothing. He just studies Alex with an inscrutable expression that doesn’t even begin to reveal any of what he’s feeling or considering at all. Alex doesn’t know what he could be thinking, what he wants or what he knows - does he know how Alex feels about him? It seems possible, even if neither of them have ever even obliquely mentioned it ever in the years they’ve been side by side. It’s entirely within the bounds of how they interact that Nicky might long have known how Alex felt and just never mentioned it to spare him, or simply to not rock the boat with addressing it.

Nicky’s eyes widen briefly, a small flicker of something that looks like surprise, before his face shutters and he stands up.

He disappears down the hallway, and Alex nearly wilts in disappointment.

Nicky reappears around the corner. “Well? Aren’t you coming?” He drawls.

Alex doesn't need to be told twice.

It's not that he'd thought Nicky was straight - a maybe not-so-surprisingly not-awkward conversation in 2009 had taken care of that. It's not like Alex doesn't know about Nicky. For as private a person as he is and as viciously protective as he is about his personal life in particular he's always been an open book to Alex. Once he knew Alex would keep his secrets until his last breath there was very few things his favorite Swede wouldn't tell him.

Which means for the most part Alex is privy to the vast majority of Nicky's sexual history, to his everlasting agony. He's even _watched_ Nicky pick up on those rare occasions he did - generally tall leggy blondes who looked like they could stab him in the neck with their stiletto and still finish their drink - and he remembers with unfortunately vivid clarity the one time Nicky had taken a man home after their unceremonious ousting at the hands of Montreal in 2010.

So it's not like that part is a surprise.

It's that Alex has never thought Nicky might consider _him_ as a bed partner. Even for something casual, despite that Alex's feelings about Nicky are as far from casual as one could get. The perils of knowing about his linemate’s sex life is that Alex knows Nicky is far from celibate, just that he prefers his sex partners longer term than Alex's revolving door, even if they're not ones he has any long term feelings invested in. Alex had always assumed based on Nicky's reaction to Alex making a fool out of himself with his affections for him early on in their careers that never mentioning it was Nicky's way of letting him down easy. Nicky, who could never come at a thing head on when he could come at it from the side no one saw coming.

Nicky’s sprawled across the bed by the time Alex and Galina come through the door.

There’s a squeeze somewhere from the vicinity of Alex’s heart at the sight of him – more graceful than anyone built like Nicky has any right to be. Alex has always called Nicky a big cat for a variety of reasons but one he’s never shared with anyone else is exactly this; that the way Nicky moves both on and off the ice reminds him vividly of a hunting big cat. Predatory and anticipatory, as if he’s already thought through every possibility and he knows the outcome, and the way heavy muscle bunches and moves beneath his skin as if he knows his body and everything it can do even more than your general professional athlete.

Nicky is doing nothing to dispel the comparison with the way his grin goes smirky at the sight of Alex in the doorway, and Galina twining around him to let herself into the room but Nicky’s eyes are on Alex, and he stretches. Alex’s mouth goes dry.

_X_

 _Burky says something in distressed sounding Swedish, and Nicky fixes him with a glare that has the younger Swede_ _wrinkle his nose and frown. Tom looks expectantly at Marcus for a translation when André only huffs and drops back down into his seat at Nicky's bitten out sharp reply. “He says he can't believe Nicke said yes._

_“Though I still can't believe you agreed either.” Marcus says, directing his words and turning a critical eye on Nicky, who only stares back and meets his eyes challengingly._

_“I had my reasons.” Nicky says shortly._

_“Yeah he wanted to get_ laaaaaid _." Someone calls, sounding like TJ. That prompts a snigger from the crowd that has Nicky rolling his eyes so vehemently Alex is half worried they are going to come out of his head._

_“Yeah, he did.” Alex says instead, turning a fond enough look at his partner that someone in the cluster of defenseman makes a gagging noise._

_X_

Galina slips out of her dress and sits on the edge of the bed; and Alex watches as Nicky reaches for her to pull her smaller form towards him. He might have thought that Nicky would be more hesitant about an unexpected sexual adventure, especially early in the morning in contrast to his notoriously anti-morning tendencies, but there’s no signs of hesitation from him now. Alex stares transfixed from where he’s standing as Nicky’s arms gather her against him, the slick sound of them kissing thick in his ears.

And then Alex is moving, the bed dipping under his weight. Nicky breaks the kiss to look at him, eyes blown black with lust. Before he can doubt himself Alex closes the distance to the pair and presses himself against Galina’s back to lean over her shoulder and kiss Nicky.

Nicky kisses like he does everything else, Alex spares a half hysterical thought to realize. Quietly and unassumingly thorough, distracting enough that by the time you realize he's gotten you where he wants you it's too late. Alex feels like all the breath has been stolen from his lungs. Underneath him Galina makes a soft _ah_ and Alex breaks the kiss to look at her - she’s got her nails dug into Nicky’s shoulders and her back bows a little; and only then does he realize that Nicky was both kissing him thoroughly within an inch of his life and teasing Galina with his fingers.

Alex nips at his jaw and it earns him a smug sneer in return.

The three of them tumble sideways until they’re sprawled across the bed, and Alex throws one long arm out for the box of condoms left on the bedside table the night before to fish one out. Nicky’s flat on his back now and he’s got two strong hands on Galina’s thighs as he urges her up - manhandles her into position under she’s hovering over his face and he drags her down. The _shriek_ it draws from her as Nicky slips his tongue inside her is enough to give Alex chills and he fumbles at putting on the condom and has to grip himself to stop from coming then and there.

It’s enough to give Alex ideas though. And Nicky’s sufficiently distracted, leaving Alex to move down the bed - sparing a moment of gratitude and pleasure for the oversized mattress his mother had disapprovingly called an overindulgence - and he positions himself until he’s face to face with Nicky’s cock.

Alex rubs his thumb over the head of Nicky’s cock, his knuckles brushing against the thatch of blond hair on Nicky’s belly; repeating the motion when it knocks the breath from the center’s lungs and when the muscles in his stomach clench reflexively. He reaches down to roll Nicky’s balls in his palm, and then shifts back until he can press a kiss to the head of his cock. Alex leans forward until he takes as much of him into his mouth as he can without gagging, digging a hand into the meat of the Swede’s hip to pin him in place against the bed;. tips of his fingers biting deep into the skin and leave crescents of white. He licks a broad stripe with the flat of his tongue from root to tip, flicking at the most sensitive spots beneath the head. There’s a shout from the head of the bed - hard to tell if it comes from Nicky or from Galina, but either way it’s enough to prompt a gleeful response in the Russian.

There’s a keen, and then Galina’s back bows as she sighs her climax - Nicky’s hands are still visibly tight on her hips not letting her move from his implacable grip determinedly. Determined to make him lose that iron control, Alex sets about finding out exactly what it is that makes Nicky tick; his own hips grinding down against the comforter seeking friction. There’s an aborted twitch of Nicky’s leg when Alex cradles his balls and scrapes his nails along the sensitive skin just behind them, and he has to pull back for a moment so as not to get clipped - and finds himself the subject of two pairs of eager eyes.

“Come here.” Nicky says roughly, and Galina is moving out of the way to urge Alex up towards Nicky’s lap. And, well, Alex has always been helpless to resist Nicky. Galina’s moving until she’s hanging over his back, her weight barely noticeable as she slides her hands around and spreads Alex’s thighs, wide enough that he settles in Nicky’s lap fully.

“You should fuck him. Wouldn't you like that?” Galina says from over his shoulder as they break apart to catch their breath, and Nicky's gaze swings to Alex.  
  
Alex freezes. He feels suddenly exposed, vulnerable - like Nicky can read everything he's thinking and feeling and has laid him open clear down to the bone. All his secrets spilling over from his chest where Alex can't quite keep them in and he's left dizzy with it. Nicky just watches him, clear green eyes blown black with lust.  
  
“Oh you beautiful idiot.” Nicky murmurs, shifting until he's closer to Alex and their faces are only inches apart. “I love you too.”

_X_

 _There’s a furrowed look on TJ’s face when he speaks up, though he doesn’t look like he regrets the question at all and far more like he’s very much enjoying himself. “Back up. Are you saying that neither of you knew how the other felt before?” He says incredulously. “I could’ve guessed from_ St. Louis _and we weren’t even in the East.”_

_On the other side of the bus John laughs. “Yeah they really were that dumb.” He says wryly. Alex makes a wounded face and opens his mouth to defend them both but is elbowed unceremoniously in the ribs by Nicky and it knocks the wind of him momentarily._

_The conversation derails for a minute into stories from the veterans about what the locker room and out of the rink had been like before the lockout and Alex and Nicky had come back from Russia together. It’s not the first time, and it certainly won’t be the last time, that Alex has heard these stories because his team might be the greatest one on Earth and he wouldn’t trade them for anything - but they’re also a collective group of assholes. Loveable assholes, the lot of them._

_“Hey!” Alex interrupts. “You want rest of story or not?”_

_Latts looks pained. “No. No I do not.”_

_Alex ignores him._

_X_

It isn’t the first time, but neither is it something Alex has done often no matter how he enjoys it. It’s too personal for casual lovers, or at least those he doesn’t already share a deeper relationship with if not necessarily a romantic one. What that ends up meaning is that it’s been a long time since Alex got fucked.

All of that is far from his mind at the moment as NIcky surges up from the bed to meet him and frame Alex’s face with his hands, and then they’re all rolling again in an assorted tangle of limbs until they end up with Alex flat on his back and Nicky looming over him, Galina half forgotten as she moves to the side with legs sprawled. One of the pillows appears and he lifts his hips obligingly - sparing a thought to wonder at how practiced Nicky suddenly seems and if there was maybe a whole lot more to his sex life than Alex had known about.

There’s a soft snick of the cap, and then the sensation of cool fingers trailing along that makes Alex gasp. Nicky’s face is fierce and determined where he’s looking at him - piercing gaze focused on Alex’s face rather than where he’s easing one finger into him and both of their breaths catch. The room is quiet save for the ragged sound of their breathing and the rustle of the sheets as Galina moves to spread her legs and dip a hand between them as she watches them. Nicky withdraws and reaches for the lube again.

The last time he’d done this he’d been half drunk both on the thrill of gold at Worlds and the subsequent alcohol that came with it, Zhenya’s big hands and body long familiar.

Nicky begins slowly, hips canting just so with his eyes fixed on Alex, and there was something absolutely feral in them contrasting with his careful, deliberate movements. Alex made sure he kept breathing, relaxing into the new intrusion and absolutely loving it. Nicky watched him like a razor-eyed hawk, darkened eyes cataloguing every inch of Alex’s face, making sure he was okay. It keys up to a whole new level when Nicky hits the perfect place inside him.

A strangled yell makes its way out of his throat, torn out of his chest. It feels like his body is short circuiting, nerve endings hyperactive and every touch like fireworks beneath his skin. He’s panting - breath blown in sharp short sounds, and when Nicky looks up to meet his eyes it’s to see that his pupils are blown wide and black consuming his irises. Nicky starts to move, tracking the expression on Alex’s face to stop himself from thinking about anything other than being careful with Alex.

“More.” The winger begs, hands tightening in the sheets. So Nicky does it again, pulling back slightly before pushing into him once more, moving as slowly as he can to allow Alex to get used to it. But it doesn’t take long before Alex grows impatient. He lifts his hips again and moves with the shallow thrusts as if he can move Nicky by pure will alone. And maybe he can - he’s been doing it most of his life as it is.

Alex can visibly see the moment that the slender threads of control slip through Nicky’s fingers, when he lets himself get caught up in the moment and drawn into the undertow of passion swirling around them. He gets both hands under thick muscular thighs and lifts to change the angle as he drags Alex to him until he’s buried deep and the crests of his hip bones meet the meat of his ass. Nicky looks unravelled, undone, as if he’s coming apart at the seams. He slides into him again and Alex cries out, every muscle in his body going tight and back bowed in a way that seems unnatural. “ _Fuck_.” The Russian swears virulently, eyes squeezed shut. “Fuck, _right there_ Nicky.” He pants.

He thrashes, plants his feet on the bed and shifts to move with and meet Nicky’s thrusts and they both know the instant the leverage changes - when the explosions light behind his eyes and alight along nerve endings and Alex cries out. He’s never been quiet but he’s surprised now to find that that is the case for his partner too; that while Nicky is wordless he’s hardly _quiet._ It’s an intermingled cacophony of broken syllables and sound and it all washes over Alex in a wave and lodges beneath his skin.

Alex’s hands fall to Nicky’s hips and his fingers dig in hard enough to press crescents of white that will likely bruise as he edges closer and closer, and when he comes it’s with Nicky’s name on a shout. The Swede gives a few more shallow thrusts and then withdraws; hand falling to his own cock. And then Alex can only watch dumbfounded as he spills over his hand and comes across Alex’s belly with a wordless sigh that sounds like Alex’s name. He slumps and drops, rolling sideways to Alex’s side.

Belatedly Alex remembers they aren’t alone, as caught up in Nicky as he is, but when he tilts his head to look at Galina it’s to find that she’s stilled too, face lax in post-orgasm lassitude as she wipes her hand on sheets that are already a lost cause.

Everything’s quiet, and Alex can feel his heart slowing back to resting in the silence. The sudden impact of what’s just happened settles on him like a tangible weight - he’s just slept with _Nicky._ A man he’s been in love with for years and who told him that he loved him too, albeit in bed. And they’re still not alone; though Alex is grateful for Galina’s presence if only that it’s because of her that finally allowed Alex know what Nicky feels and tastes like. Even if it’s the only chance he ever gets, Alex can’t bring himself to regret it.

Nicky rolls out of bed after a minute and disappears out into the hallway, presumably towards his own bathroom down the hall and it’s like whatever spell existed is broken. Galina heads into Alex’s bathroom and Alex stays where he is, flat on his back staring at the ceiling contemplating his life and what brought him to this point in it. And worse, what it means going forward.

Nicky had said he loved him.

Alex’s contemplation is shattered when Galina lets herself back out of the bathroom, dressed again now and looking like she doesn’t quite know what do with herself; as if she thinks she’s intruding on something even if she was the catalyst for it. He stands up and reaches for his discarded shorts, wiping at the now cooling come on his stomach idly with the corner of the sheets.

The door shuts behind her when she leaves and the sound feels louder than it should in the space, and leaves them with nothing between them but what’s just happened and the things they’ve said and done. The apartment echos when they’re alone. It feels momentous and a little unsteady - hard to know what weight words will carry after the heat of passion has passed. What meaning they carry now or if it had all been some sort of crazy aberration. Nicky’s retreated to the kitchen and Alex can hear the sound of the fridge and the ice, and he doesn’t know if he’s supposed to follow or not.

Alex figures he hadn’t gotten this far in life by being shy.

Nicky doesn’t turn to look when Alex comes padding into the kitchen but he doesn’t tense either; just slants his body slightly enough that Alex is in his eyeline. He’s constructing some kind of sandwich on the counter in front of him, body language still loose as he hums softly under his breath. When Alex steps up behind him he stops, and then Alex fits himself against Nicky’s back and hooks his chin over his shoulder to get a better look at what he’s making.

“Excuse you.” Nicky says fondly, leaning to the side to get a better look at Alex.

Alex licks his neck and Nicky yelps. He swats at the Russian covering him like a blanket and Alex grins, tightening his grip and refusing to be budged. They dance for a second, squabbling and shoving like kids before they end up with Alex’s back to the counter and Nicky’s strong arms to either side; pinning him in place with his deceptively strong body. The laughter dies in Alex’s throat as he looks at him.

“Meant it, you know.” Alex says. “I love you.”

Nicky smiles. It’s one of his real smiles - the ones that reach his eyes, that light up his whole face and that he saves just for Alex and for stupid rookies, and he leans in to rest his forehead against Alex’s. “Jag älskar dig. я люблю тебя. I love you.” He says and then closes the distance between them to kiss him.

“Show off.” Alex mutters when he has his breath back, and Nicky only laughs.

_X_

_It’s a long bus ride back, but it’s early enough still that even after a game they’re all wired and not inclined towards sleep. It doesn’t help that it’s Valentine’s Day and everyone’s full of undirected energy at the idea that they’ll get to spend at least the evening with their loved one even with the one game road trip._

_All of it together means that everyone’s all but bouncing off the walls of the bus and the conversation has taken a sort of overlapping quality to it, a dull roar of indecipherable noise where it reaches the pair taking up the back row of seats. Alex is sprawled out over the seats in his unabashed taking up of space, head pillowed on Nicky’s muscular thigh as the center’s hand absentmindedly cards through his hair while he’s absorbed in whatever he’s reading on his tablet._

_Alex has his own phone up in front of his face but he’s only half focused on it, distracted both by the spine meltingly good sensation of Nicky’s nails scraping against his scalp and the drifting threads of conversation that float out from whatever card game is going on a few rows in front of them. He can tell Nicky’s listening too even with as focused as he’s acting by the barest trace of a smile lingering on his lips._

_The conversation turns from comparing worst Valentine’s Days ever to relationship origin stories, and TJ has launched into a spirited rendition of how he’d won over Lauren. It’s only a matter of time then. He could pretend to be asleep, Alex mulls over, dropping his phone down to his lap. But that wouldn’t be any fun._

_Sure enough, it takes less than five minutes before there’s a trio of dark heads poking over the seat backs in front of them._

_“So how did_ you _finally get together?”_  
_  
Nicky trades a look with Alex, who looks like he’s fit to burst with restrained laughter. “I’m not sure you want to hear that story.” He says mildly, putting down the tablet, and the trio of rookies looks like he’s just shot their dog. Alex pushes himself back upright into a sitting position._

_“Papa!” Andre cries, pouting._

_“Yeah Papa, tell us the story.” TJ calls from a few rows up, mocking. Half the team’s interested now, turning in their seats or shifting seats entirely to get closer as they all realize too that neither of their captains have ever told the story. Alex makes aborted shrug in Nicky’s direction, who returns the gesture with a frown. The captain looks positively gleeful and Nicky slumps against him with a sigh, rolling his eyes._

_Alex, knowing he’s won, claps his hands together with a gleeful smile. “Gather up children, is storytime._

_“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Nicky says mildly._

_Alex’s eyes gleam with mischief, and he settles himself. “It was during the lockout, you know, when Nicky come to Russia -”_

**Author's Note:**

> shoutout to wildthings whose random stray comment in the process of writing a different fic inspired this one. i'm 99% sure it was meant as a joke but. here we are.


End file.
